Trentino-Alto Adige · Trento
Canazei
A Ladin village at 1,465 meters at the head of Val di Fassa, ringed by Marmolada, Sella and Sassolungo and the Sellaronda circuit.
- Best time
- Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar
- By car
- 1 h 26 min from Bolzano
- Population
- 1,831
Known for
MARMOLADA
The Queen of the Dolomites at 3,343 meters, reached by cable car above Canazei, with the only major glacier in the range and a heavy First World War history.
SELLARONDA
Lift-linked ski circuit around the Sella Group, with Canazei as one of the four Ladin valley bases for the loop across Gardena, Badia and Livinallongo.
LADIN
Around eighty per cent of residents speak Ladin as their mother tongue, part of the Dolomitic minority protected by the regional statute of autonomy.
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- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime averages, 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
Why come
Canazei sits at 1,465 meters at the head of the Val di Fassa, one of the thirty highest towns in Italy, ringed by the Marmolada, the Sella Group and the Sassolungo. The commune includes the hamlets of Alba, Gries and Penia, which run together with the central village along the upper Avisio river. Eight in ten residents speak Ladin as their first language, part of the small Dolomitic minority recognized by the autonomous statute, and the local Folk Group preserves the costumes, music and language traditions of the valley.
Four ski areas connect from the village base: Belvedere, Ciampac, Col Rodella and the Marmolada cable car from Malga Ciapèla, all part of the Sellaronda and the wider Dolomiti Superski circuit. The Pordoi cable car climbs to the Terrazza delle Dolomiti at 2,950 meters for a full view of the surrounding peaks, including the Marmolada at 3,343 meters, the highest summit in the Dolomites and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2009.
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Canazei in our articles
The best high-altitude villages with a serious restaurant in Trentino-Alto Adige6 towns, Canazei among them.
The best small mountain towns within 90 minutes of Bolzano6 towns, Canazei among them.
The best small towns that eat well in the province of Trento7 towns, Canazei among them.
The 8 best high-altitude villages within 90 minutes of Bolzano8 towns, Canazei among them.
How to get there
From Venice (TSF), about 2 h 37 min by car.
Verona (VRN) is about 3 h 8 min away.
By car from the center of Bolzano 1 h 26 min or Trento 2 h.
First time driving in Italy? Read our complete manual.
What to see
Marmolada
Highest summit in the Dolomites at 3,343 meters, reached by cable car from Malga Ciapèla above Canazei, with the only Dolomitic glacier on its northern face.
Passo Pordoi
Dolomite road pass at 2,239 meters with a cable car to Sass Pordoi at 2,950 meters, called the Terrazza delle Dolomiti for its 360-degree view.
Belvedere Ski Area
Main winter base of Canazei, gondola-linked to the Sellaronda circuit and the lift system across the four Ladin valleys of the Sella group.
Sassolungo
Distinctive long-toothed massif north of the village, reached from the Sella Pass and visible from most of the lifts above Canazei.
Penia
Easternmost hamlet of the commune along the Avisio, the last village before the road climbs to the Fedaia Pass and the Marmolada cable car.
Sentiero dei Forti
Walking route through the First World War positions on the Marmolada front, with restored trenches and tunnels reached from above Penia.
The slow-trip planner
Building a trip? Find where Canazei fits in a slow Italy circuit.
Answer six questions. We will shape a geographically coherent slow trip from the 1,000 Italian towns most travelers skip. Yours to save and share.
We recommend
Where to eat
Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to: a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.
Alla LocandaRistorante
A spot in the Michelin Guide, at Alla Locanda.
El PaelWine Bar
El Pael holds two Gambero Rosso bottles.
Locanda degli Artisti Art HotelRistorante
Two Gambero Rosso forks (80/100), at Locanda degli Artisti Art Hotel.
Wine & DineRistorante
Wine & Dine holds a spot in the Michelin Guide.
Before you sit down: how to order at a restaurant, how to spot a tourist trap, what aperitivo is and how the Italian bar works.
Through the year
What happens here
Feasts and festivals that come back year after year. We give the month rather than the date, because the date moves and the month rarely does. Check with the source before you plan a journey around one.
Gran Festa da d'Istàpatron saint's feast
usually held in September. TrovaSagre
Simposio top wine 2950festival
usually held in October. TrovaSagre
Living here
- Population 1,831, down 1% since 2015
- Remotei
- Pharmacy in town
- Nearest public hospital Agordo, 26 km as the crow flies · how healthcare works in Italy
- Full fibre reaches 87% of homes
- Primary school in the comune
- Earthquake zone 3, low hazard
- Nearest airport Venice, 2 h 37 min drive
- Regional capital Bolzano, 1 h 26 min drive
Could you live here?
Canazei is at the end of the road.
- A village of 1,831. The nearest town of 5,000 people, Cortina d'Ampezzo, is 1 h 14 min away: past our 15-minute rule, which makes this the end of the road.
- Bolzano/Bozen, a city of 106,107, is 1 h 28 min by car. Further than our 30 to 60 minutes, a long way for the hospital visit or the monthly shopping.
The rules come from our series Where to Move in Italy, written from the places we have lived: Part 1, The End of the Road · Part 2, The Small Town · Part 3, The City · Part 4, The Postcard · Part 5, The Other Half. The towns we would pick are in Part 6, The Best Towns.
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Common questions
- What is Canazei known for?
- Canazei is a Ladin village at 1,465 meters at the head of Val di Fassa, ringed by Marmolada, Sella and Sassolungo and the Sellaronda circuit.
- Where is Canazei?
- Canazei is a comune in the province of Trento, in Trentino-Alto Adige, at 1465 meters above sea level.
- What is the nearest airport to Canazei?
- Venice (TSF), about 2 h 37 min by car.
- How long is the drive from Bolzano to Canazei?
- About 1 h 26 min by car.
- When is the best time to visit Canazei?
- Best in Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar. July is the warmest month, averaging 21 degrees, and May the wettest, with about 21 rain days.
- Is there a sagra or a festival in Canazei?
- Yes. Gran Festa da d'Istà and Simposio top wine 2950. September is when the first of them falls.
- Which other towns are like Canazei?
- Moena, Falcade and San Vito di Cadore.
- How many people live in Canazei?
- 1,831 at the 2023 count.
- Is Canazei a good place to live?
- By the rules in our Where to Move in Italy series, Canazei is at the end of the road: the nearest town of 5,000 people, Cortina d'Ampezzo, is 1 h 14 min away. The nearest city, Bolzano/Bozen, is 1 h 28 min away by car. The nearest public hospital is in Agordo, 26 km as the crow flies. Full fibre reaches 87% of homes.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognized as
The numbers
- Elevation: 1465 m
- Population: 1,831
- Surface area: 67.02 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
Similar
Towns like Canazei
What all six share with Canazei: high in the mountains · under 3,000 people · mountain towns above 1,000 metres